Friday, October 31, 2008

Twas the Night Before Induction..

So as of today, I am 38 weeks, 2 days pregnant with Peanut Turner. It's been a long, bumpy road but it seems that it's about to come to an end as we prepare to meet our little guy. Because of several health issues affecting Mama (Peanut is still looking great), we have planned to start an induction in the morning. This means that our little guy will be in our arms as early as this upcoming weekend. We are exhausted from all of the hospital visits, observations, and admissions but are equally as excited to count Peanut's fingers and toes, and marvel at his long-awaited chunky baby legs. Hopefully our next post will be introducing the little guy.

Over the last week, Mom's health has rapidly declined. Up until now, I've kept most health-related updates to a minimum but throughout this pregnancy, I've been labeled "high-risk". It began because we were blessed with Peanut on the heels of a miscarriage but as the weeks wore on, different issues arose. We dealt with food poisoning at 19-20 weeks, a gestational diabetes diagnosis at 26 weeks, and a pregnancy-induced hypertension diagnosis at 36 weeks. The hypertension was classified as severe this afternoon, and paired with a low platelet count and severe swelling, we are headed down the pre-eclampsia road to boot. I am truly exhausted by all of it. I had hopes of an uneventful, boring pregnancy where my biggest issue would be maintaining a reasonable weight gain, and things have gotten so far from that, I only learned today what my total weight gain has been (and hell no, I am not sharing). Through the weeks and months, I've gotten more and more sedentary as bed rest requires, and have watched my tiny stretch marks and vericose veins grow into red, blue and purple zig-zags that cover my belly, breasts, sides and now legs. I was very sad about seeing them for the first time, but now I look at them as a badge of honor and a reminder of the difficulties we endured through the last 9 months. Honestly, I hope they fade, but if they don't, they will be my little reminders of our adventure with Peanut in 2008. It's hard to believe that I began the year running 30 miles per week and feeling fantastic, and here I sit in a hospital bed, with multiple diagnoses and a big round belly full of baby human.

That being said, I would do it all again for Peanut. I already love him more than the sun, moon and stars, and about as much as I love Lilly Bean. I think about him all day, every day and wonder who he will look like, which blanket will be his favorite, what kind of personality will he have. The wonder and excitement that has consumed this 40 week countdown is all coming to a head this weekend and that really hit home when the doctor proclaimed - "You are not leaving here without a newborn in your arms".

We started this journey with a conversation in late October 2007 about starting a family. When it was first brought up, Dad needed to process what he was hearing because it was such a shock and nothing we'd ever discussed before. Mom pitched the idea and let him get used to it for awhile before he agreed to give it a shot. The bottom line was, November was the first month we actively tried to bring Peanut to life. Now here we are, on November 1st, waiting to meet the son we've wanted for over a year. We have been so lucky to bring this idea to life in a little 8 pound boy in a year's time. And with everything we've been through during that year, his arrival will just be that much sweeter. So it's official - the Turners are going to become parents this weekend if all goes as planned, and we are exhausted, nervous, queasy, elated, and incredibly anxious to hold this little creature and kiss 10 baby fingers and 10 baby toes. It's been 40 weeks and counting since we knew you, Peanut, but we've loved you long before that. Can't wait to tell you face-to-smooshy baby face.